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SELECTED MATCH REPORTS

NSL- MAJOR SEMIFINAL 2ND LEG - ENERGY AUSTRALIA STADIUM - Friday 26th April, 2002
NEWCASTLE UNITED 2 (Esala Masi 15', 42') v. PERTH GLORY 0

Game: 8/10; Ground: 7/10; Referee - Simon Micallef 7/10; Crowd 17,503; Squads: Newcastle- 1. D Beltrame, 2. M Prentice (4. C Zoricich 79'), 3. A Roberts, 6. M Bingley, 7. T Dodd, 9. J Griffiths, 11. P Tsekenis, 12. S Baillie, 13. M Balgojevic, 17. E Masi, 25. A Moreira (10. D McBreen 71')- nit used B Swancott, M Wilson, A Hughes; Perth Glory - 1. J Petkovic, 18. S Pryce, 3. J Harnwell, 23. D Tarka, 7. S Miller, 2. M Horsley, 8. B Maloney (17. G Faria 22'), 15. Aldrighi Edgar (Jnr), 12. B Hassell (9. A Edwards 70'), 16. D Mori, 10. B Despotovski (5. C Deans 91') - not used: V Mattassa, N Mrdja; Yellow Cards: A Roberts (NU) 46', J Petkovic (PG) 42', S Miller (PG) 35'

An exciting game was hoped for after the 1st leg win by Perth 3-1 at home. It was worth the long drive up as Newcastle came at them and instead of stretching themselves this time played smartly to contain the Glory counterattacks. The goals by Masi were great, especially the 2nd when he burst through 3 defenders with a turn of speed and slammed it past Petkovic. Baillie and Prentice did a fine job in defence, taking turns to hold Mori and Despotovski, and Roberts man-marked Horsley as soon as he entered his half. Griffiths did well in the 2nd half keeping pressure on the Perth defence but Glory did what was required of them to keep the score to 2. Perhaps Travis Dodd was the star in the absence of Middleby with his sensible variation of play on the right side. After a headed miss by Moriera and then a misskick by his replacement McBreen it looked harder and harder to see the 3rd coming. So it was to be! Perth through to the GF in Perth, and Newcastle live to fight again next Sunday.

Round 12 of the 01/02 NL Season - 7.30pm Frid 21st December, 2001 - at Energy Australia Stadium

NEWCASTLE UNITED 2 (Griffiths 59', McBreen 86') v. SYDNEY UNITED 0
Referee: Simon Micaleff 6/10, Crowd: 9.136; NEWCASTLE UNITED : 1 Daniel Beltrame (gk), 3 Andrew Roberts, 4 Chris Zoricich, 6 Matthew Bingley, 7 Travis Dodd (18 Mitchell Johnson 87'), 8 Mark Wilson, 9 Joel Griffiths, 11 Peter Tsekenis, 12 Scott Baillie, 17 Esala Masi (10 Daniel McBreen 83'), 22 Robbie Middleby; Sub not used – 2 Michael Prentice, 20 Bradley Swancott (gk); Yellow Cards: Nil

Round 2 of the 01/02 NL Season - 7.30pm Frid 12th October, 2001 - at North Sydney Oval

NORTHERN SPIRIT 1 (J Hutchinson 49') v. NEWCASTLE UNITED 1 (S Baillie 85')
Referee: Con Diomis 8/10, Crowd: 8,902; Yellow Card: Trajkovksi (NS) 83'. Squads: Newcastle - D Beltrame, A Roberts, C Zoricich (M Prentice 78), M Bingley (C), M Wilson, S Baillie, M Blagojevic, J Schirripa (T Dodd 69), R Middleby, E Masi, J Griffiths ; Spirit - L Acevski, J Watts (C), J Sobczyk (G Mendez 65'), R Trajkovski, R Enes, A McDermott, J Hutchinson, T Cranney (T Perinich 81'), R Cartwright, P Cardozo, A Cervinski, Not Used: R Griffiths, P Henderson (gk); Game: 6/10, Pitch 8/10.

In front of a good home crowd of 8,902 Spirit shows some jitters and were under the hammer from a very good Newcastle team for most of the 1st half, with Robbie Middleby carving down his right wing and Esala Masi threatening in the centre. For Spirit Andy McDermott was battling in midfield but there was no connection to the strikeforce. A resuffle after the break and a fine ball through to Robbie Trajkovski saw the flank man in the 49th min send a curling cross over the defence for John Hutchinson to beat Zoricich to the ball and head cleanly into the net for his 2nd Spirit gaol in 2 weeks. The battle was now a more even one and both sides had half chances until in the 85th min a cross into the Spirit area found Masi who lobbed the ball back for Scott Baillie to head under Lupce Acevski in the Spirit gaol. A draw probably a fair result. Best for Newcastle: Middleby, Baillie, Masi; Spirit: McDermott, Hutchinson, Acevski;

Trial Game - Saturday 15th September, 2001 at Budgewoi Soccer Club, Buff Point

NEWCASTLE UNITED 2 (A Surjan 62, D McBreen 74) v. CENTRAL COAST 0

On a great spring day I headed north on the very familiar Newcastle Freeway, but this time turned east on the Budgewoi turnoff. Coming in to Budgewoi from the north you find a nice little enclosed ground belonging to Budgewoi Soccer Club. Main fenced ground with good surface and 2 other fields. A licenced club, with restaurant. A small crowd approx 200, mostly Coasties supporters, locals, and a few Newcastle fans. It was a typical trial game with lots of subs by Newcastle, and Coasties trying out some U19's and other triallists, such as Danny Burt (ex SU and Cosmos) and local Matthew Clarke (ex Power). Coasties are only 2 weeks into their pre-season and had many key players out, but Newcastle had the first squad on the park, except perhaps Jobe Wheelhouse and ex Spirit Michael Prentice. Newcastle dominated with Coasties playing their usual counter attacking game, dropping behind the ball and struggling with fitness and speed (pace and thought). Coasties coach Dale Eggleton said this was their first hit out and tested his young players. He thought his team were a bit rusty for the first 20min and didn't react quickly enough to the higher pace of the game. Newcastle had a lot of chances but in the first half Coasties keeper Darren Moore (a Newcastle lad) kept everything at bay (did you notice Chippy?), and after the break despite a good effort by English triallist Eric Talbot Coasties conceded two goals, before snapping out of it and giving Newcastle a couple of later frights. Newcastle's defence looked solid with Prentice doing well, and McManus after the break. They got the ball out wide to Middleby who swapped sides during the game. His crosses however were not always capitalised on. Both sets of Newcastle midfields looked busy but lacked teamwork at this stage, and it was only when McBreen came on that the attack sparked. Youth (U19) NU 2 v. CC 0

NEWCASTLE UNITED: 1. Beltrame, 12. Baillie, 2. Prentice (5. McManus), 14. Zoricich, 3. Roberts, 8. Wilson, 6. Bingley, 13. Blagojevic, 15. Middleby, 17. Masi, 9. Griffiths. Subs: 5. McManus, 14. Surjan, 11. Tsekenis, 10. McBreen, 7. Dodd, 16. Wheelhouse.

CENTRAL COAST: Moore, Bradley, McKendrick, Peaty, Haynes, Matthews, Daley, Burt, Pryce, Leary, Clarke. Subs: Some U19's but not known, except 2nd half keeper Talbot.

Action by the min:
2 Andy Roberts shot at the keeper 8 Masi hard shot - Moore pushed wide 16 Bingley hit bar 30 Roberts wide from distance 33 CC header to Beltrame's right - he saved 35 Bingley well wide 36 Wilson header - off target 39 CC attack but went wide 40 Though ball to Bingley - Moore parried very well 43 Good CC moved on left - Burt / McKendrick one twos - McK shot covered by Beltrame 45 CC shot over from range --------------- 48 CC shot on target - Beltrame takes - offside anyway 50 Middleby shot over after Surjan leadup on left 51 CC hit one wide 54 Surjan shot wide 55 Great intercept in CC box took ball off McBreen's feet 57 McBreen crossed - Griffiths missed connecting with header 62 Griffiths cross which Talbot couldn't hold, dropped to Surjan for easy tap in 67 Griffiths cut in and got a ball to McBreen, but CC clear off line 72 Talbot palmed shot wide 74 McBreen sweet header off a corner, but CC lax marking. 75 CC chance after good move on right - cross almost put in own net by NU 77 Griffiths shot over 82 Wheelhouse shot straight at talbot 83 Corner sent to Griffiths who headed over 85 Best CC chances of the match, with fluent move on the right, cross, then corner and shot over. 87 CC again headed over off corner 88 Dodd shot hard at talbot from 30m but keeper held 90 CC take freekick 30m out and it is just wide of target.

Round 8 of the 00/01 NL Season - Frid 1st Dec, 2000
NEWCASTLE UNITED 1 (McBreen 70) v. WOLLONGONG WOLVES 3 (Chipperfield 23, Stanton 28, 48 ) at Marathon Stadium, ( H/T 0-3 ) Crowd: 8,257

MATCH STATS:
NEWCASTLE UNITED: Catlin, Zoricich, McManus, Sprod ( c ) (McBreen 35), Dodd (Roberts 82), Wilson, Magnacca, Tsekenis, Wieczorek, Surjan (Trpcevski 73), Buonavoglia; Sub not used - Swancott
WOLLONGONG WOLVES:
Barlow, Souris, Ceccoli, Stanton, Cervinski, Horsley, Reid, Young, Chipperfield Dimitrevski 82), Huxley, Blake; Subs not used - Angelov, O'Grady, Barilla.
Referee: Peter Green 7/10; Yellow Cards: Nil, Red Card: Nil; Best Players: 1. Stanton (Wolves), 2. Reid (Wolves), 3. Wieczorek (United); Game: 6/10

The Wollongong Wolves came hungry, on the run, and hunting in a pack. They were fortunate to find a meek Newcastle side opposing them - ready for the taking. Wollongong travelled up the NSW coast to former fellow steel city Newcastle with the embarrassing late submission to Cosmos last week still fresh in their minds but buoyed by the return during the week from overseas of Scott Chipperfield. Newcastle had acquitted themselves well on the road in Adelaide and was hoping for some home form to keep the crowds up and to salvage hopes of a top 6 berth. Newcastle included new signing Anthony Magnacca in their side and Scott Chipperfield's suspension was deemed to have been served whilst overseas so he was on the park for the Illawarra team. Newcastle coach Lee Sterrey was annoyed about this apparent about-face by the NSL but in the end the player wasn't really needed.

Newcastle started enterprisingly enough with Magnacca working to his coach's instructions and playing the ball on the deck into the mounting wind, but soon the Wolves started to apply pressure. When Todd McManus fouled Chipperfield in the 6th min the resulting free-kick was struck by Chipperfield straight at keeper Bobby Catlin and the force almost knocked him back so hard was it struck. Despite continuing pressure from Wollongong a great chance for Newcastle passed by when the improving Travis Dodd hit a hard shot which cannoned off Huxley and forced a save from Grant Barlow at the near post. Dodd was receiving close attention and he limped through much of the match, but not before he struck a shot on target after a 25m weaving run into the area. Wollongong were handling the deteriorating conditions better with long balls being played with the wind after quick lead-up interchanges in a midfield which Newcastle gradually conceded. As early as the 14th min Chipperfield was found this way in the box and it was only the agility of Bobby Catlin that saved the day. In the 23rd minute McManus challenged Cervinski and the ball fell badly for Catlin, leaving him in the wrong place and Chipperfield swooped on the ball and made no mistake. From a quick move out of midfield by the increasingly fluent Wolves Robbie Stanton drifted into the area and receiving a great cross nodded it hard and fast past an advancing Catlin. By now it was all Wollongong as United retreated further thus leaving the Wolves engine-room, the centre midfield, entirely to the red shirts. Only a late run by Wieczorek, who got behind the defence and wrong-footed 4 defenders with a lobbed cross to Buonavoglia, lifted Newcastle fans spirits.

After the intermission and with the wind at their backs United applied some real pressure with Magnacca shooting over after only 2 mins of the resumption, teenage substitute Daniel McBreen receiving a great ball in the box but snap shooting over the bar, and a Magnacca freekick curling just past the upright. Stuart Young was active and in the 59th min he shot wide. Brad 'Witchy' Wieczorek was coming into the game, grasping opportunities that he was denied in the first stanza, due to poor service from a disjointed midfield and shackling Chipperfield at the same time. Still Newcastle pushed up with a move started by Buonavoglia and carried on by Dodd breaking down when Peter Tsekenis shot wide, and soon after a 'Witchy' speculator. Rallying, the Wolves pushed up the middle at speed with firstly Reid waltzing through the defence but miss-kicking and then in the 68th min Stanton received in space and with a free route to goal but chipped the advancing Catlin, and the crossbar! Daniel McBreen had been causing some consternation in the Wolves camp with his movement and it was no surprise when in the 70th min he turned on a ball in the area and placed into the bottom left hand corner of Barlow's goal. Wiezcorek was again the provider of this cross, but Newcastle was assisted by a deflection off a Wolves player en-route. Wollongong didn't sit back but played some beautiful free-flowing football and they almost punished United when Catlin was forced 10m out from his goal line to clear to ball off the feet of an attacker. By now the game was being played in an almost horizontal tropical downpour driven by a fierce wind. Wieczorek crossed into the danger zone but no one was able to capitalize and then he tried to chip the rain-blinded keeper from distance. Newcastle at last finds some spark but way too late!

Coach Lee Sterrey is alleged to be under pressure due to the lowly position on the table of a talented collection of players but he sheeted home blame to the players who 'had no passion, no commitment'. Having seen Olympic play twice I suggest that the Wolves are capable of beating them but with 3 teenagers on the bench the journey through the NSL season and the WCC may be more than they chew on! The Queensland referee Peter Green gave no cards at all, but perhaps missed one or two challenges which deserved formal caution. The pitch is improving rapidly and looked lush but not very dense over the sand base as yet. Newcastle face three powerful teams in the next few weeks so Santa may find no 'good boys' (at least in some fans eyes) when he visits the lower Hunter on Christmas Eve. Will the crowds fall? I might add 'fall further' because - let's just say the announced crowd was generous.

Match Report by Chris Dunkerley

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NEWS

Month of October - Round 1 - NEWCASTLE UNITED 1(Masi 51') - MELBOURNE KNIGHTS 0

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